I’ve been building a Zapier automation for self-catering accommodation bookings using Bookster (a booking platform), and I’ve run into several persistent issues I can’t fully resolve. Key challenges include:
Zapier not detecting updates when guest email addresses are added after the initial booking
Inconsistent data from Airbnb/Vrbo bookings (missing emails especially)
Zapier delays and calendar-based triggers proving unreliable
Zaps showing new errors despite successful testing
Multiple workaround Zaps and a linked Google Calendar already in place
I’m now considering rebuilding the workflow in Make.com - but before making the leap, I’d love input from anyone who’s faced similar issues or has advice for stabilising this kind of automation in Zapier.
Can you provide more context to give us info about how you are integrating with Bookster in the Zap.
Screenshots are helpful.
Hi Troy - thanks for getting back so quickly to me. Essentially what I’m trying to do is retrieve data from a Bookster booking (2 x self catering accommodations) so that I can a) email the guest 6 days prior to their holiday with accommodation specific information, b) send a SMS/Text to the person who puts the hamper together, to remind them of what to get.
I realise that issues I might come across would be bookings coming through from Bookster that also include Vrbo and Airbnb, etc - and that might not provide email addresses. Also if any bookings too far in advance might not work due to actions not able to happen over 30 days, but whatever route I take I cannot seem to generate an email (to the bookings that provided an email address) within the timeframe to the client.
Below are the Zaps I have in place.
The screenshot above is the Configuration of extracting the info from Bookster. I can managed to get it to update the Google Calendar and to send the SMS, but it seems to fail every time at sending the email.
Pic above is the Zap that should be sending the email.
Sorry if I’ve sent you too much information. Thanks!
This post has been edited by a moderator to remove personally identifiable information (PII). Please remember that this is a public forum and avoid sharing sensitive details.
@ZapperDi For us to have more info about the email issue, we would need to see screenshots with how the Zap step are configured in EDIT mode showing the field mappings.
TIP: You may want to try replacing all of the Formatter steps with 1 AI step.
Zap action: AI by Zapier - Analyze and Return Data
